On Your Mark, Get Set, Blast Off!

This week our Summer Library Club is blasting off! It's our first week of events and we are so excited. We'll be having lots of intergalactic fun at the library this week! Here is a list of some space themed books for kids to enjoy as well.


Books for Grades K-2
Mousetronaut & Mousetronaut Go to Mars by Mark E. Kelly
Space Boy and His Dog & Space Boy and the Space Pirate by Dian Curtis Regan
How the Meteorite Got to the Museum
How Many Planets Circle the Sun? by Mary Kay Carson
Robots in Space by Nancy Furstinger

Books for Grades 3-5
Cakes in Space by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
Space Case by Stuart Gibbs
Record Breaking Earth and Space Facts by Jon Richards
Outer Space by Ken Jennings
How Do You Burp in Space? : and Other Tips Every Space Tourist Needs to Know by Susan Goodman

Books for Grades 6-8
Welcome to Mars : Making a Home on the Red Planet by Buzz Aldrin, with Marianne J. Dyson.
Women in Space: 23 Stories of First Flights, Scientific Missions, and Gravity-Breaking Adventures by Karen Bush Gibson
Space Encyclopedia: A Tour of Our Solar System by David A. Aguilar
First in Space by James Vining
Dove Arising by Karen Bao

Teen Battle of the Books!

The Eager Free Public Library is one of the seven libraries in Rock County and the Arrowhead Library System that is participating in the second annual Rock County Teen Battle of the Books this summer. Last year was a great success with 11 teams from all 7 libraries, and we’re excited to be doing it again.  The purpose of this program is to promote the libraries of Rock County, encourage a life-long love of reading through good books, and have competitive and friendly fun during the summer.

Youth Services Librarians from the Arrowhead Library System have once again come up with a fantastic book list that offers a little bit of everything for readers of all reading levels. The books are:

Schooled by Gordon Korman
Cap Anderson has never watched TV, eaten pizza, or attended a traditional school in his life. Raised by his hippie grandmother, his life changes big time when his grandmother is hurt and he is forced to attend the local middle school. Cap must learn to navigate bullies, crushes, and school work without the guidance of his grandmother.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Twin brothers, Josh and Jordon Bell, love basketball. In this fantastic coming of age story they must learn to grow up both on and off the court. This Newbery Medal winner is told in verse with the rhythm of the game jumping off the page. The brothers deal with first crushes, their parents' expectations, and some difficult changes that hit their family.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (Book 1): The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Fans of Percy Jackson will love this new series by Rick Riordan. Magnus Chase has lived through many great tragedies in his short life, including looking his mother and his home. While living on the streets he starts to learn about his family's history and how they might be connected to the Norse gods of Odin, Thor, and more.

Ms. Marvel (Volume1): No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life until one strange experience changes her life forever. This first volume of the new Ms. Marvel series tells the origin story of a brand new super hero. 

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

"Stargirl" moves to the beat of her own drum when she starts at Mica High where the other students aren't quite sure what think of their new classmate. Overtime, Stargirl captures the heart of Leo and his life is altered forever. This story explores the idea of being true to yourself, popularity, friendship, and love.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Miranda is obsessed with the book A Wrinkle in Time. She has read it over and over again, and fans of that classic will certainly enjoy this heartwarming, intriguing, and wonderfully told story. Miranda is busy helping her mother prepare for a game show when she starts to receive mysterious letters from an unknown writer warning her that he needs her help to save her friend's life. Miranda must figure out how she can help before it's too late.

You can find out more about the Teen Battle of the Books, including how to register, here!

SUMMER READING

Summer Reading is just around the corner!  This year we will be offering a reading program for children, teens, and adults!  Children and teens will earn prizes based on the amount of hours read throughout the summer (up to 60 hours).  Adults will once again have a Bingo card to complete.

Want to start planning your reading list now?  Take a look at the summer themed lists below!

Children's Fiction:
Summer at Forsaken Lake by Michael D. Beil
Zoomer's Summer Snowstorm by Ned Young
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Cam Jansen and the Summer Camp Mysteries by David A. Adler
The Night Before Summer Camp by Natasha Wing
Summer School!: What Genius Thought That Up? by Henry Winkler
Summer of the Sea Serpent by Mary Pope Osborne
A Horse for the Summer by Michelle Bates
Colorado Summer by Larry Bograd

Young Adult Fiction:
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton
Ferocity Summer by Alissa Grosso
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
That Summer by Sarah Dessen
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte

Adult Fiction:
The Summer of Us by Holly Chamberlain
The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank
The Girl From Summer Hill by Jude Deveraux
Summer Secrets by Jane Green
That Summer by Lauren Willig
Summer House With Swimming Pool by Herman Koch
A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn
Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers

Need more inspiration?  Check out bestseller lists, Book Page, or previous and upcoming blog posts.

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ICE CREAM SOCIAL

The Friends of the Eager Free Public Library's annual Ice Cream Social will be held on Friday, June 24th starting at 6:00 p.m.  At this year's event, you can expect cake, ice cream, a raffle, and old fashioned carnival games.  In honor of the City's 150th anniversary, the Library will be running old carnival games outside of the Masonic Temple.  Inside the Masonic Temple, you can enjoy cake, ice cream, and live music.  The raffle drawing will take place at 7:00 p.m.  Raffle items include beef, a health club membership and Fitbit, Visa giftcards, and a grill! 

Can't wait for the ice cream social?  Here are some books to get you ready!

No-Churn Ice Cream: Over 100 Simply Delicious No-Machine Frozen Treats by Leslie Bilderback

Ice Cream and Iced Desserts: Over 150 Irresistible Ice Cream Treats by Joanna Farrow

The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, and More by Bruce Weinstein

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer

Frozen Desserts: The Definitive Guide to Making Ice Creams, Ices, Sorbets, Gelati, and Other Frozen Delights by Caroline Liddell

Children's books:

The Ice Cream King by Steve Metzger

Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems

Ice Cream Cones for Sale by Elaine Greenstein

Clifford and the Big Ice Cream Mess by Josephine Page

Yum! by Sami

The Chocolate Sundae Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

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THE SNOW QUEEN

With the success of Disney's Frozen, we have seen an increased interest in the story of the Snow Queen.  Whether you want to read the original work by Hans Christian Andersen, or if you want to read some retellings of the tale, we have some options for you.

For the original story, check out The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen.

Retellings and adaptations:

Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce - When her boyfriend disappears with a strange woman, Ginny leaves her home and fights wolves, thieves, the cold to rescue him.


The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman - A woman survives a lightning strike to find that her once frozen heart has thawed.  This will be the start of a love affair between two opposites joined by a common thread.
 The Snow Queen by Joan Vinge - This science fiction work won the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel.  Based on the fairy-tale, The Snow Queen takes place on an oceanic planet whose sun orbits a black hole.


The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey - After being falsely accused of unleashing evil on nearby towns, Aleksia, the ice fairy and Queen of the Northern Lights, sets out to find the imposter who is ruining her reputation.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - Four children find their way into the land of Narnia and help Aslan to defeat the White Witch who has cursed the land with eternal winter.


"Ice" from the short story collection The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold by Francesca Lia Block - This collection of fairy tales is set in modern times and are retold with a twist.

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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: ALAN BRADLEY

Our book club selection for the month of June is The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan C. Bradley.  This is the first book in the Flavia de Luce series in which Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist, sets out to prove her father innocent of murder. 

For more information on Alan Bradley and his work, visit his website at http://alanbradleyauthor.com/

The Flavia de Luce series:
1.  The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
2.  The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag
3.  A Red Herring Without Mustard
4.  I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
5.  Speaking From Among the Bones
6.  The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse
7.  The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches
8.  As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust

Looking for books similar to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie?  Here are some similar titles:

Quiet as a Nun by Antonia Fraser
The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham
The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
Hotel Paradise by Martha Grimes
The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Can't get enough Alan Bradley?  Give one of these authors a try!

M.C. Beaton
Alexander McCall Smith
Rhys Bowen
Simon Brett
Jonathan L. Howard

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MULTI-GENERATIONAL STORIES

The next Genealogy Group meeting will be held on Thursday, May 5th.  Since genealogy centers around researching one's family history, I thought it would be fun to create a book list that focuses on novels covering multiple generations of one family.  Some of these works cover two generations while others cover more ground.  These works of fiction can help you see how important family is and how your family's past can affect your future.

Check out one of these stories today!

Last Dance at Jitterbug Lounge by Pamela Morsi - Jack and Claire were once happily married, but different interests have left them feeling they have grown apart.  When Jack is notified that his grandfather is ill, he returns to Oklahoma and Claire comes with him.  This story is intertwined with the story of Jack's grandaparents, Bud and Geri.  How will the two stories mirror one another?  Will Jack and Claire find their way back to one another? 

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler - This novel tells the story of Abby Whitshank and how she fell in love with Red in the late 1950s.  It explores where the family came from and carries through to Abby and Red's grandchildren.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye J. Walton - In this generational saga, foolish love seems to be the Roux family's trademark.  How will this trait affect Ava Lavender as she learns what it means to love?

London by Edward Rutherfurd - London tells the story of six different families as time passes from the Roman settlement of London to the docklands of today. 

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough - This novel follows three generations of the the Cleary family in the Australian Outback.


The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton - In this story, the reader follows two women as they try to uncover their family's secret past.  This is a story of family, mystery, and self-discovery.

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett - The first in Ken Follett's Century trilogy, Fall of Giants follows five interrelated families as they move through World War I, the Russian Revolution and women's suffrage.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck - Set in California, this work follows the interconnected lives of two families whose generations reenact the fall of Adam and Eve along with the rivalry of Cain and Abel.

Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian - After the death of his grandfather, Orhan inherits the family business.  However, his grandfather's will raises more questions than it answers as the grandfather left the family estate to a stranger rather than his own family.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert - This story spans the 18th and 19th centuries as the reader follows the Whittaker family.  Watch the family as they live through the Age of Enlightenment into the Industrial Revolution.


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